Assignment+1+-+Online+Identity

= = For the purpose of this assignment I have created my own online identity through various Web 2.0 tools, professionally and personally. The issue of revealing identies over the internet is one to think about. Personal information such as your birth date and living location should not be in the view of just anyone, because of the risk of identity theft. I have been careful in the creation of my online identies to not reveal such information. However, in joining social communities such as Facebook, Wikispaces and me.edu.au I know that only people I accept to view my pages will be able to view it, so I feel that I am a safe online user.

If you would like to know more about online identities and the issues that arise with having an online identity please visit Wikipedia - Online Identities

What in the world is Web 2.0!!?? Web 2.0 is a platform for collaboration on the World Wide Web. It is all about the users and content. Web 2.0 is changing the way people communicate and share messages all over the world. It is interactive and allows information, experiences, thoughts and perspectives to be shared in different ways through a variety of online tools. Examples of Web 2.0 includes social bookmarking sites, social networking sites, blogs, wikis, video or photo sharing site, web applications and folksonomies.

Why use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom?

Students today have grown up with technology all around them, so it's not surprising that they would engage more enthusistically with learning through techonlogy and multimedia tools in the classroom. Web 2.0 tools promote collaboration, and teachers are able to monitor student online engagement and input.

Have a look at this video, it gives an overview of the ways that Web 2.0 tools can be used in the classroom: Investigating Web 2.0 Tools There are so many Web 2.0 Tools availableto use on the World Wide Web ; all with different uses.
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These are just a few links to Web 2.0 Tools that are available for personal and professional use: [|del.icio.us] ||> [|edublogs] Facebook ||> Flickr [|Google Groups] || Google Sites [|iGoogle] || [|Jing] Me.edu.au || Netvibes PageFlakes || TeacherTube Twitter || Wikispaces Youtube || As a future Primary school educator, I have chosen to review five Web 2.0 tools that may be useful to use personally as a professional networker, or to use in the classroom as a collaborative tool with my students.
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Please click on the logo links below to be taken to my review of the Web 2.0 tools:


 * [[image:delicious_logo.jpg width="190" height="62" link="Assignment 1.1 Delicious"]] || [[image:googlegroups_logo2.gif width="128" height="53" link="Assignment 1.2 Google Groups"]] || [[image:Me.edu.au_logo.png width="123" height="63" link="Assignment 1.3 Me.edu.au"]] || [[image:pageflakes.jpg width="184" height="60" link="Assignment 1.4 Pageflakes"]] || [[image:wikispaces.gif width="126" height="71" link="Assignment 1.5 Wikispaces"]] ||

Summary of Web 2.0 Tools

Through investigating a variety of Web 2.0 tools I found them all to be very useful. I believe that each Web 2.0 tool has a purpose, and though it may not be suited to one type of user it mey be well suited to another. There are endless opportunties through the use of Web 2.0 tools professionally and personally. As an educator it is important think critically about how you are going to use the tool in the classroom before implementing it. It is no use just giving the student access to these tools without having the structural and pedagogical skill of their uses.

As a personal professional Web 2.0 user I think the most useful tools for me to use out of the five that I have investigated would be Delicious and Me.edu.au. I have already found Delicious unbelievably helpful with keeping track of my online resources and will definetly be using it for a long time! Me.edu.au has provided me with a professional network that I think will really help me as a teacher to keep up to date with new information on Australian education.
 * Which Web 2.0 tools are the most valuable? **

As a future primary school teacher I think the most useful tool would have to be Wikispaces, simply because it is a safe and effective way of having students interact purposefully online. Having the ability to monitor students interaction and input will help me in seeing the views and opinions that will come out of each child in my class.

In having a broad educational view and critical eye on these Web 2.0 tools, I think that the most least valuable tool that I have investigated would be Pageflakes. I don't think that it would impact on student learning as much as a Wikispace or similar would. I would use this tool more for personal things and to keep track of things that I am interested in. In saying that this tool is the least valuable, I still believe that it is a valuable tool to use but just not as useful as some other Web 2.0 tools.
 * Which Web 2.0 tools are the least valuable? **